Enjoy the Childhood
If your life with God in Jesus Christ is just beginning do what you can to accept your limits and rejoice in the good news about God and what he purposes for you and the world. I confess that I've never been very good at relaxing and rejoicing. I'm too intense and tend to worry too much about this and that but because it's difficult for me it need not be hard for you.
Look, you're a new child of God and things will feel strange and sometimes awkward for you for quite a while. The new community of believers you're now a part of might smother you with too much kindness or chill you a bit with their lack of it. What's tougher is that you may now find your life more intense. You didn't use to have to watch your language and now you do. You didn't use to ask yourself, "Is this really the right thing to do?" Moral issues will come walking out of every door; your family might not like some of the changes that have come over you and you might not enjoy them either. I'm saying all this because when people make profound changes and profound new commitments they can find it a bit traumatic. Even walking into a room full of polite and courteous "strangers" can be off-putting.
But expect this! For some it's a bit of an emotional brawl at times and you might be one of those. But it's a lovely brawl and one you need not lose and it's worth every second of it. It's part of the adventure. It's a growing process in which along with those who are Christians you learn "the way" and since you belong to Christ and he will take care of you while the growing process continues. He doesn't expect you to have all the answers to all the moral dilemmas or the strength to beat all the temptations. He understands very well the power of the backward call of an old environment so he's not about to bully you.
You've been called by the gospel because you are loved. He loves you and every person you see. Do better than I have done in my life. Let the love of God in Christ wash over you and allow yourself, without apology, to rejoice in that because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Spirit God has given to his people (Romans 5:5).
Take pleasure in the newness of it all, in the wrestling it involves, in the mysteries and conundrums. Take pleasure in the degree of difficulty in it because if ever there was an adventure you've just entered one.
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
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